1 year ago
204 Troy Deeney has admitted that defender Martin Skrtel used to always struggle whenever he played against him for Liverpool.
Deeney was speaking to Jermain Defoe on the Defoe & Deeney Football Firsts Podcast.
The two strikers were reflecting on their time in the Premier League and the defenders they used to come up against.
Liverpool’s defence hasn’t always been as solid as it has in recent years under the leadership of Virgil van Dijk.
The thought of a right-back being a creative force like Trent Alexander-Arnold when Martin Skrtel first signed for Liverpool for £8.5m in 2008.
Skrtel played 320 games for Liverpool but Troy Deeney claims he never enjoyed their encounters.
The 38-year-old Slovakian is still playing back in Slovakia for his boyhood club Hajskala Raztocno in an amateur capacity.
However, Deeney thinks he might still be having flashbacks of his games against Watford in the Premier League.
Deeney used to torment Liverpool defender Skrtel
Speaking about his match against Liverpool, Deeney said: “[Martin] Skrtel is the one who crumbled the most.
“We played Liverpool at home, we ended up beating them 3-0 and I’ve said to the boys, ‘Put it high’.
“We win kick-off, put it high, and I’ve jumped and I’ve just timed it well, won the header and I’ve elbowed him and he’s like, ‘Bro, come on!’ and I was like, oh I’ve got you.
“Within about 35 minutes I think he came off, I just beat him up physically.”
Skrtel is still keeping a close eye on his old club and was praising Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate last season.
Alongside Daniel Agger, Skrtel was a popular player among the Anfield faithful due to his no-nonsense approach.
He may be disappointed that the only honour he won while at the club was a League Cup back in 2012.
However, he was one of the few constants in a side that was changing a lot 15 years ago.
Troy Deeney was a difficult customer for any defender and Skrtel wasn’t the only Liverpool player to struggle to deal with him.
They only played each other twice and although Skrtel did come off before half-time in their first meeting, Deeney conveniently forgot their encounter later in the season.
Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners with Skrtel keeping a clean sheet against Deeney and co. alongside Jon Flanagan, Lucas Leiva and Alberto Moreno in defence.
The post ‘I just beat him up’: Troy Deeney admits £8.5m Liverpool player ‘crumbled’ whenever he played against him appeared first on The Boot Room.
